Mayo: Who wants to sponsor FAU's stadium?

Owlcatraz is dead, with private prison operator GEO Group pulling out of its stadium sponsorship deal with Florida Atlantic University after a tumultuous two months. GEO Group said the backlash triggered had become "a distraction" to both parties.

Which is pretty much how I saw this thing unfolding when the first student protests started growing. As I wrote in my print column on Feb. 25 ("FAU fumbles stadium naming deal"):

When it comes to something as high profile as a stadium naming deal at a place that can be as sensitive as a college campus, a bit more public vetting and input would have been sensible.

The stadium doesn't have GEO Group's name up yet, but the company is supposed to make 12 annual $500,000 payments starting April 1, according to the gift agreement. If negative reaction keeps building, I wouldn't blame either party for backing away.

So now what?

Any interested stadium sponsors out there?

For $500,000 a year, you get your name in big letters on a growing campus in chic Boca Raton.

The drawback: Your partner is FAU. The school is having a tougher year than American Idol.

It's hard to think of any candidates that could turn out any worse than GEO Group. Maybe Philip Morris Stadium? Or perhaps the school could get a sponsorship from the old Broadway show "Stomp"? Or maybe Broward Health, since the hospital district is already spending $200,000 a year on athlete endorsements (and never mind the geography: Broward Health sponsors Chris Evert's annual charity tennis tournament in Boca Raton as part of an endorsement deal).